The Best Sustainable Luggage Combination for Digital Nomads

Luggage is one of the most important components of a digital nomads’ necessities. Not only are you traveling a lot, but you may also be living out of your suitcase for large chunks of time – which makes it well worth investing in proper luggage for digital nomads.

We’ve spent our fair share of time on the road and, by now, we know a thing or two about what makes a good suitcase and the various luggage combinations for different trips. And we’ve found the perfect combination of luggage for digital nomads.

If you’re about to embark on a digital nomading journey, keep reading.

Related read: Tips for Traveling and Working Remotely

What makes the best luggage for digital nomads?

For the team at Travel Dudes, it involves four things:

1. It needs to feature a smart design that makes traveling easier
2. It needs to be made from high-quality, durable material
3. The brand needs to support sustainable and eco-friendly practices
4. It must look sexy

We recently tested out three different travel bags from Horizn Studios and can happily say that they tick all the boxes – and more!

They also make several different types of luggage, from check-in suitcases and cabin bags to backpacks, weekenders, laptop bags and cross-over bags. Something for everyone – including digital nomads!

Here’s the perfect luggage combination for digital nomads

If you’ve ever packed up your life (including your work gear) to travel and work for an extended period of time, you’ll know how traveling with just one bag just isn’t possible.

You need a few different bags, and we’re pleased to share that we’ve found the perfect combination of luggage for digital nomads.

For a smooth digital nomad experience, you need four different types of bags:

1. Large check-in suitcase (we prefer a hard suitcase over a backpack as it’s easier for long-term travel where you’re staying longer periods of time in each place)
2. Cabin bag for extras you need easy access to while flying
3. Backpack for your laptop and accessories
4. Small day bag to use once at your destination

Check-in suitcase: H7 Smart/Essential

If you’re going to be traveling for a while, you need a decently sized suitcase to carry everything – especially if you’re traveling over multiple seasons!

We love the H7 suitcase from Horizn Studios as it’s built to last a lifetime. This luggage features a premium polycarbonate hard shell (partially recycled) and is complete with recycled polyester lining. It’s also 100% vegan and produced in a way that is 99% waste-free.

The Smart version comes with a removable smart charger and a compression pad.

This particular option is the 77cm (90L) size which is best for traveling over longer periods. They also have a 64cm (65L) size which is big enough if you’re traveling over just one season and have the option to pack lighter.

The laundry bag also comes in handy when needing to separate clean and dirty clothes while on the go.

Features

• Lightweight and durable hard shell
• One-click removable smart charger – cabin approved for all airlines
• Four 360° Japanese spinner wheels
• TSA-approved lock
• Inbuilt compression pad to maximise volume
• Premium laundry bag

Details

• Width x Height x Depth: 52cm x 77cm x 28cm
• Volume: 90L
• Weight: 4.9kg

Review

On our trip to Chiemsee in Southern Germany we were able to give the H7 Essential suitcase a proper test.

Let’s start with the first impression: super light

I was very impressed how light the suitcase was when I lifted it the first time. Then I love to have four instead of two wheels. OK, most suitcases have those nowadays, but I still remember our old suitcase with only 2 wheels. And the wheels felt soft when pushing the suitcase, but also quite and easy to roll at the same time.

When I first opened the suitcase, I was surprised that there wasn’t much. But what did I expect? A suitcase’s job is to pack as much as possible. So everything extra is taking away space. There are two nets with zippers to keep the clothes in its departments and that’s it. My essential version is without compression pad, which might be useful to have. On the other side, 90 liters of clothes/volume should be enough. The ones who pack their complete household, can still go for the Smart version, which includes the compression pad. 😉

I don’t mind scratches on well traveled luggage. Each scratch belongs to a journey. But when the suitcase is brand new, I don’t need that scratch. I thought several times that I would have added scratches, when opening or closing that huge thing, as it moved a bit on the floor. Nope, I haven’t added a single scratch, also not when loading it into the trunk. The hard shell is super tough and light.

Cabin bag: M5 Smart

What’s better than strolling through an airport lounge while wheeling a slick cabin bag? Wheeling a Smart cabin bag.

The M5 Smart from Horizn Studios features the world’s first removable smart charger which lasts up to five days. It also features a front pocket for your laptop which makes sliding in and out while going through airport security checks a breeze!

Features

• One-click removable smart charger – cabin approved for all airlines
• Water-resistant front pocket for a 15” laptop
• Lightweight and durable hard shell
• Four 360° Japanese spinner wheels and TSA-approved lock
• Inbuilt compression pad and premium laundry bag
• TSA-approved lock

Details

• Width x Height x Depth: 40cm x 55cm x 23cm
• Volume: 33L
• Weight: 3.6kg

Review

Creating a superb cabin bag is far tougher than a suitcase for check-in. At least when it gets used by me. Usually I try to travel with hand luggage only. I’m not the super hero, when it gets to packing, but I realize quickly what I like and where a bag could get improved.

Really important is to have a storage place for the laptop and for the small quantities of liquids in the familiar 1-liter bag, which you can access quickly and without unpacking everything else. And I find it so annoying if you have to unzip the whole bag to do so and everyone else can look into your bag.
That’s what I liked about the M5 right away. There is a extra storage pocket for the laptop, liquids and other items at the front. Altogether you’ll find in that one 6 extra compartments. Good to have!

Do you know those ‘old fashioned’ airports which got no plugs to recharge your phone? Or maybe you are stuck in one with only 2-3 plugs and those are occupied by other travelers? But your flight is late and you grab your phone or tablet far too often and each time you see how the loading bar of your device is getting smaller with each minute. Now it’s great that you have the Smart version of Horizn’s luggage, as it includes a smart-charger.
Then it’s time to finally board the plane, but your phone could still need a bit more power. How smart that you can actually remove the charger and take it to your seat… or in your backpack.

The trolley should fit your style, right? Then you will like that you can customize it! As you see, I’ve chosen a graphite shell with an orange handle and wheel caps. You can even add your own monogram onto the luggage tag. And there are quite a few more colors to choose from for your own customized version. Take a look here.

The whole bag feels good and you realize quickly that it’s a robust and reliable product. The four wheels role quietly and easy and the case itself is light and of high quality material. It simply feels good.

Backpack: SoFo Backpack Travel

Your digital nomad backpack is possibly the most important bag for you to get right. You need a backpack that’s going to house your entire digital life: laptop, accessories, multiple chargers and all the other gadgets.

The SoFo Backpack from Horizn Studios is great as it’s built in a way that allows you to pack and organise it like a suitcase, while carrying it like a backpack. You can either open the backpack from the side or the top (like a duffel bag), allowing it to be used in multiple scenarios.

The multiple compartments all just make sense. There’s a place for everything, including a slick hidden slide-in pouch to easily store your mobile phone and passport.

This backpack also doubles up as a great overnight bag for any short trips you do as well as a great daypack for hiking and other activities (it’s waterproof). It’ll also work well with carrying camera equipment.

Features

• Waterproof base and lining
• Expandable to pack for up to five days
• Breathable mesh padding on the back and shoulder straps
• Back-panel opening for easy packing and access to main compartment
• Padded rear compartment for a 16” laptop
• Hidden rear pocket and clever side and front pockets

Details

• Width x Height x Depth: 32cm × 50cm × 17cm
• Width x Height x Depth (expanded): 32cm × 60cm × 17 cm
• Volume: 29L
• Volume (expanded): 34L (without pockets)

Review

I like when a backpack got lots of different features, as long they make sense. And the SoFo Backpack Travel has those. It starts with the two options to access the content of the backpack, either through the top or by opening the zipper at the back. That way it’s far easier to grab what you are looking for without messing up the order.

At the back is also the compartment to store your laptop and its an extra zipper to get to the main compartment. So if you want to grab only your laptop (for example at the airport security), you don’t have to open the whole bag. It’s maybe just one zipper extra, but those small details make the difference.

Then the backpack got big side and front pockets, which could be used for sandwiches, drinking bottles or to store the bag of liquids when flying. Actually the size of the whole backpack is big enough to easily pack enough stuff for a couple of days.

The backpack got more useful pockets, like the one hidden in the back, which could be used to store the phone, tablet and passport.

If I would have a wish to add, I would go for an extra optional waist carrying strap, as you can even extend the volume/size of this bag towards the top. That adds possible carrying weight. Instead it’s possible to attach the bag to your extended handle of your trolley/suitcase, which is also a nice feature.

Also this product feels really good and of high quality. I’m looking forward to use it many times.

Small day bag

Don’t forget about adding a small bag into your suitcase to pull out when you get to your destination that you can use while you’re out and about.

The small So-Fo Cross-Body bag from Horizn Studios is a great option as it leaves you hands free with enough room to carry your mobile phone and purse, along with a few other small bits.

Sustainable luggage

As travellers, we all want to do our part in ensuring that we’re traveling as sustainably as possible. And that includes the travel accessories that we purchase.

The most important thing to consider when purchasing sustainable luggage is to focus on high-quality materials. The most sustainable suitcase is one that lasts for decades to come. Most of their luggage are made from recycled materials and have been thoroughly tested to ensure their longevity.

Apart from that, they also ensure waste-free and animal-friendly production (the world’s first luggage brand carrying the PETA-Approved Vegan logo). Plus, their sustainability practices extend to their packaging, logistics and stores.

You can drop off your old and broken luggage at either their Berlin or London store and they’ll arrange for it to be properly recycled, so it won’t end up in a landfill. Plus, you’ll get €30 store credit!